A Battle of Wits!
by Aria Breuer
Summary: Frodo Baggins makes his way to Tookland, half expecting to meet up with Samwise Gamgee and a clan of friendly Earthkin, as they endure random moments and frequent mood swings. This is the 21 Genre Fic Challenge, revolving around a battle between Frodo and Sam.
1. Part 1: Adventure, Angst, Crime

**Disclaimers:** I do not own _The Lord of the Rings_. J.R.R. Tolkien does. The genres belong to their respected owners. I'm just doing this for fun. :)

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This fanfic is inspired by Peter Hollens' video "24 Genres. Two Artists. One song – Shape of You Ed Sheeran featuring Ten Second Songs". This is the 21 Genre Challenge.

It's Frodo Baggins versus Samwise Gamgee! :)

Enjoy! :)

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Adventure, _Frodo Baggins_

It started out like any other day. Frodo left Bag End for the woods of Tookland. He was eager to meet Pippin, his younger cousin. He had to get there before tea time. Oh, look! A detour! Frodo took it, half expecting to get to the Great Smials sooner. No! This wasn't right! Where was he and why did he smell the sweet scent of pie? Oh, he wanted that pie!

He ran off, landing behind a bush and finding himself in front of a cottage, where a giant moved a pie onto a stump for safe keeping. Frodo licked his lips. That pie sure looked and smelled delicious. But how was he to get it? Hmm… he wondered—

~o~

Angst, _Samwise Gamgee_

Sam looked up from his work. There was Mr. Frodo, leaving Bag End and heading for the woods. No problem. Mr. Frodo was probably going out. An hour passed. Where was Mr. Frodo and why didn't he tell Sam where he was heading? Oh no! Sam stood up, ditching his gardening tools. He looked back to find the Gaffer confused. Oh no! Sam was at a loss! Should he head back to the Gaffer and apologize, or go after Frodo?

What was he to do?

"Mr. Frodo, where are you?" Sam cried out, taking off for the woods. Oh! This was such a nightmare!

~o~

Crime, _Frodo Baggins_

Frodo seized the opportunity! He leaped out of the bush and snuck towards the stump. The giant sniffed the air, searching for him. Frodo sighed. Good, he hadn't been spotted! Now was his chance to steal that pie and eat it, before he was caught. It was a crime to steal a pie, but he couldn't resist. He was hungry and this was his chance!

At last! He reached the stump. The pie was in his grasp. Now, he just needed to grab it—

"Hey! What are you doing?" The giant said, towering over him. She eyed him suspiciously.

Rats! He wasn't getting that pie after all!

*.*.*

Thanks for reading. :)


	2. Part 2: Drama, Family, Fantasy

Drama, _Samwise Gamgee_

Sam sighed. He wanted to find Mr. Frodo. Oh, where was he? Wait. What was that? An Earthkin house? They were friendly, right? Sam couldn't be sure. Oh! There was Mr. Frodo, caught red-handed by an Earthkin woman. Good! He didn't steal her pie! Now, Sam really wanted to help his best friend out, but what could he do? How was he to get out of these bushes without being seen?

Great! He was doomed from the start! Would Mr. Frodo mind he was here? Sam had to know, but he feared what his actions would bring on his poor friend.

~o~

Family, _Frodo Baggins_

Frodo was surprised that giant was an Earthkin woman. She wasn't alone, for her family was with her. Frodo's stomach grumbled. He really wanted some food!

"Come on. Let's get you something to eat." The Earthkin lady said, leading him into her house. Children ran inside, all getting ready for supper. Frodo ate, finding time to recover from his mishap. He was relieved when the Earthkin woman gave him a pack, filled with supplies and food. He waved to the Earthkin family and hugged the Earthkin woman, before setting out on his journey again.

Wait. Who was hiding behind the bushes?

~o~

Fantasy, _Frodo Baggins versus Samwise Gamgee_

"Come on out!" Frodo called as a figure stepped out of the bushes. No way! "Sam? Samwise Gamgee, what are you doing here?"

"Mr. Frodo, I—" Sam was interrupted by a neigh. He ran towards Mr. Frodo, as a winged horse landed on the forest floor. "Mr. Frodo, what is that?"

Frodo grinned. "It's a winged horse." He added, "I'll meet you further on." He mounted the horse, clinging onto its mane as the horse took off into the air. The horse flew around in a circle, before landing in the same spot. He chuckled, getting off the horse. "Well, that was fun! Thank you, my winged steed!"

The winged horse whinnied in the victory.

*.*.*

Thanks for reading. :)


	3. Part 3: Friendship, General, Horror

Friendship, _Samwise Gamgee_

Sam shook his head. He couldn't believe what he just saw! Mr. Frodo flying on a winged horse! Sam deserved a ride, too! After all, he and Mr. Frodo were friends, but it didn't stop Sam from asking Mr. Frodo a ton of questions, questions that soon formed in his mind and couldn't wait to be answered.

After all, what were friends for?

"Mr. Frodo," Sam said, "what happened? You didn't tell me where you were! It got me worried!" Good! Maybe he could receive some answers! Maybe it would ease his mind. Maybe the Gaffer wouldn't be so angry with him for leaving his post… well, he could dream, couldn't he?

~o~

General, _Frodo Baggins_

"Sam, look out!" Frodo shoved Sam off to the side as a boulder landed in the middle of the opening. His heart raced in his chest. "That boulder could have killed us! Where did it come from?"

"It came from the sky!" The Earthkin woman said, staring at the sky as it changed from high noon to mid-afternoon. "The sky is beautiful. Don't you think?"

"This is strange," Frodo said, cautious. Something didn't feel right. The sky, the boulder… none of it made sense… wait. WAIT! What was happening? Why was the sky turning red? And why did he feel so… mischievous?

~o~

Horror, _Frodo Baggins versus Samwise Gamgee_

Frodo looked around in curiosity. His instincts told him that he wasn't alone. He found a mirror and looked at it. His hair was sleeked back. He wore dark clothing. He felt so… powerful! So evil.

"Oh, Sam!" Frodo sang in a wicked voice.

"Right here, Mr. Frodo," Sam said, cunningly. He snuck up behind Mr. Frodo, stabbing the mirror with his sword. Blood dripped down from the frame. It was gruesome, but he loved it! "Now, I come for you!" He glared at Mr. Frodo.

"Sam," Frodo chuckled, darkly. "Do you not know anything about the darkness?" He purred, "I _live_ in the darkness! I _am_ its seeker! I – _am_ – EVIL!"

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Thanks for reading. :)


	4. Part 4: Humor, HurtComfort, Mystery

Humor, _Samwise Gamgee versus Frodo Baggins_

 _Flash!_

Sam looked around. The sky was no longer red. It was daylight! He was in the same woods with Mr. Frodo and the Earthkin. The two hobbits were dressed in their typical garb, but something had changed!

Frodo couldn't talk. That didn't make sense! Why couldn't he speak? Where had his voice gone? Oh, there it was… but it was different! Higher pitched! Oh no!

"SQUEAK!" Sam bellowed in shock.

"Squeak? Squeak. SQUEAK!" Frodo said, testing his voice.

"GAHHH!" Sam was furious. He couldn't take this anymore! "AAAAAHHH! My voice is back!" He cried in triumph. Yes! He missed his voice so much!

~o~

Hurt/Comfort, _Frodo Baggins_

Frodo was glad that Sam got his voice back. He tried his own, but it still made squeaking sounds. This was hopeless! He needed his voice back! Wasn't there a way to get it back? He looked at Sam, as his friend joined him over by a log.

Good old Samwise Gamgee, always there to help out a friend during their time of need.

Frodo grinned in recognition. "Thanks, Sam." He gasped in delight. "My voice is back! Yes!" Now he could focus on other tasks, like getting out of these woods! That sounded like a brilliant idea! Now, all they needed was a plan.

~o~

Mystery, _Samwise Gamgee_

"Where are we?" Sam inquired, rubbing his chin. He looked around in curiosity. How did he get here? Where was the way out? He and Mr. Frodo would need to leave this forest soon before the Gaffer called out a search party. Would Mr. Frodo understand? Sam hoped so, but then he'd never been outside Hobbiton for this long unless he was camping.

Only, where was Mr. Frodo? And why was there a bright beam of light shining down on Mr. Frodo's spot? This was one mystery Samwise Gamgee did not want to solve by himself! That was for sure!

*.*.*

Thanks for reading. :)

 **References:**

 _The Humor Genre:_ The squeaky sounds were inspired by the Looney Tunes' cartoon "Duck Amuck" and the movie "Mouse Hunt".


	5. Part 5: Parody, Poetry, Romance

Parody, _Frodo Baggins_

Frodo closed his eyes. The world seemed so still. So quiet. He felt so noble! Yes! Things were looking up for him and he knew it!

He opened his eyes, embracing his wooden mace, complete with a wooden head. Ooh! And now he had a horned helmet. Was he supposed to be one of the Earthkin or something more?

He liked this! He wanted to bludgeon that boulder. Maybe that would help ease his mind! He rushed over to the boulder now. The spotlight dimmed. He held his mace in the air, and—

 _Whack!_ Ohhh! He got that boulder good!

~o~

Poetry, _Samwise Gamgee_

"Frodo, what are you doing?  
This is no time for games.  
We have things to do,  
places to see.  
If only you would believe me—

"That rock does _not_ want to hurt you!

"If you so much as hit that rock again,  
we'll be in for a more than just goo.  
I'm telling you, Mr. Frodo,  
we're all set to go.  
Now just leave that rock alone!

"Please, let's go home you!

"Before I lose my temper again, you see!  
This is no time for games.  
Let's set things right!  
I beg of you please,  
Let's go home now!

"Please, Mr. Frodo, just listen to me—

"That rock does not want to hurt you," Sam spoke, repeating himself.

~o~

Romance, _Frodo Baggins_

Frodo couldn't stop smashing the boulder. It was a never-ending battle between the mace and the rock, and he loved every minute of it! He didn't want this moment to end! He wanted it to go on… forever!

Tears streaked down his face. He was exhausted and had to sit down on the log again. As he did, his hobbit clothes returned, but the mace, the boulder, and the helmet vanished on sight. He sighed, drinking deeply from his waterskin. It was a good run, while it lasted. At least he got his anger out! That was what mattered most!

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Thanks for reading. :)

 **References:**

Viking!Frodo's inspiration comes from the Vikings, "The Elder Scrolls" video game series, and Peter Hollens' music video "24 Genres. Two Artists. One song – Shape of You Ed Sheeran Featuring Ten Second Songs".


	6. Part 6: Sci-Fi, Spiritual, Supernatural

Sci-Fi, _Frodo Baggins versus Samwise Gamgee_

Frodo caught his breath. What was that? A strange wooden hilt laying in the grass. He picked it up in admiration and turned it on. The blue beam of light sang from the hilt. It was music to his ears. He found the name of the weapon on the side of the hilt: a lightsaber.

Sam stared at the weapon in awe. He wanted to hold it, get a feel for the weapon. He tore it out of Frodo's hands, moving the weapon around. This was so much fun… until Mr. Frodo grabbed the lightsaber and turned it off. Oh great! He wanted to use that weapon! Now, he would never know.

~o~

Spiritual, _Samwise Gamgee_

Sam sat down on a log, taking in his surroundings. It truly was a splendid place without any boulders crash landing on the forest floor or any other strange oddities at work here. Nope. It was perfect, exactly what Eru Ilúvatar created, long before the hobbits came to live in the Shire.

What could be better than this?

"It's beautiful here, isn't it, Mr. Frodo?" Sam sighed, feeling the warmth and beauty of this forest. He looked back to see the Earthkin retire to their homes. Well, so much for staying here. He stood up, stretching his muscles. "Come on, Mr. Frodo. We'd better head back."

~o~

Supernatural, _Frodo Baggins_

"What's that?" Frodo looked around, stunned. He saw something move through the trees, but what? He looked again. "Ahhh!" Something jumped up this time! It was a spirit, beckoning for him and Sam to follow. Well, they might reach Pippin's house sooner!

"Come on, Sam. Tuckborough's this way!" Frodo said, taking the lead. He was not about to lose that spirit, especially if it led them to a safe haven. He hoped they wouldn't reach any dead ends. He couldn't imagine what would happen if they got lost again. Then they wouldn't get home in time for tea and that would have been awful!

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Thanks for reading. :)


	7. Part 7: Suspense, Tragedy, Western

This is the final part of this story and this challenge. Enjoy. :)

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Suspense, _Samwise Gamgee_

Sam looked around in fright. Something didn't feel right! The sun was setting! Were they in Tuckborough? Would they make it out of these woods alive? What was that? A ghost? A wight? Anything?

"Mr. Frodo," Sam said, spooked, "we better hurry up. Something bad could happen out here and we don't want that. Mr. Frodo? FRODO!" Sam looked around again. Frodo was missing! No! He heard a scream, followed by a splash! Sam ran as fast his legs could carry him! There was Tuckborough and there was Mr. Frodo, glimpsing into the water. "Oh no! Mr. Frodo! FRODO!" There was no turning back now. This was it!

~o~

Tragedy, _Frodo Baggins versus Samwise Gamgee_

"Sam, I can hardly breathe!" Frodo whispered, hoarsely. He'd been running too much. He collapsed on the ground, feeling the world overwhelm him. His heart raced and now all he wanted to do was sleep. He glanced up to see Pippin and his father approach, helping him to his feet and straight to the Great Smials. It was good to see them again—

Sam sat on a bench. He'd been there all night, waiting to see how Mr. Frodo was faring. This was not good. What if Frodo didn't make it? What if Sam would have to go on alone, without his best friend? It was hopeless.

~o~

Western, _Samwise Gamgee versus Frodo Baggins_

A few days passed. Sam discovered that Frodo was all right, but with one twist: his room had turned sepia and Frodo wore a strange hat. His hobbit clothes were the same, but as Sam entered the room, he too wore a hat. It felt good to be with his friend again, all safe and sound.

"Yee-ha!" Frodo cried out, enjoying the moment. "We did good, Sam! We made it to the Great Smials!"

"We sure did!" Sam said. "Let's ride off to the pub and earn a few drinks!"

"I'm up for that!" Frodo nodded, a warm smile on his face, "I am indeed."

The End.

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That ended well and so completes another challenge. :) So, who won: Frodo or Sam? I'll leave that for you to decide in your review. :)

Thanks go to megSUPERFAN and Eldhoron for helping me a little with this story. Thanks also go to Gracie Miserables for favoriting and following this fanfic. And thanks go to everyone who took time out of their busy schedules to read this story. It is much appreciated. :)

This story was too much fun and nearly made my head swim, but I still managed to finish drafting this story all in one night. :) So yeah! It's done. :)

Thanks for reading. :) I'll see everyone in the next story. Cheers! :)

 _Aria Breuer_


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